City of New Orleans
| Name | City of New Orleans |
|---|---|
| Start | Chicago |
| End | New Orleans |
| Distance | 934 Miles |
| Duration | 19 Hours |
| Creation | 1947 by Illinois Central Railroad |
August 21
It feels like a completely new journey having showered and rested for a bit in Chicago! We were some of the first people on the train in coach, so we’re trying out a new location at the front of the car: nobody is sitting in front of us to lean back on us, we think there is more room to stretch out our legs, and we can put our feet against the wall to be more horitzontal. (Granted there are no tray tables or under-seat storage, but it could be a winner still.)
We took off at 8pm, so it was already dark out. The day/night map does not include this route, but it looks like it will be dark through Illinois and Kentucky and we should see Memphis when we wake up.
As a side note, this route inspired the song City of New Orleans by Steve Goodman (though Terri insisted I include the Arlo Guthrie version). We recommend hitting play while reading the later updates.
August 22
Good morning America, how are you? We traveled more than 500 miles, but otherwise the song really captures the route.
Very early in the morning we crossed the Ohio River right before it joins the Mississippi River, which is the border of Illinois and Kentucky. Coming from a part of the country where state borders are more administrative than anything else, it is amazing how much rivers define the shapes of states. The Mississippi River defines the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin, Iowa and Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois, Missouri and Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky, Missouri and Tennessee, Arkansas and Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, and then Mississippi and Louisiana. The Ohio River outlines the top of Kentucky bordering Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio and outlines the bottom of Ohio bordering Kentucky and West Virginia.
I went back to sleep right after crossing the river and woke up right as we were leaving Memphis and Tennessee. Technically I saw Tennessee, but I have no proof.
Most of the day was spent going through Mississippi. For those of you who have seen Queer as Folk, we stop in the hometown of one of the main characters.
Towards the end of the trip, right before reaching New Orleans, we passed through the Louisiana Bayou. We kept an eye out, but only saw turtles; no alligators!
Riding in the observation car, you feel like you are right on the ground. Getting off of the train, however, you realize just how huge they really are! We’re amazed every time we get out, but I realized I have not shown the size comparison.
The train is also very long, so after a bit of a walk we reached the station. It was simple, but it had indoor waiting space (looking at you, Emeryville) and a nice mural.
